New Beginnings
by Antigini
Summary: Set during First Contact. What if Data didn't deactivate the auto destruct sequence? Picard was on board while Will is on the surface with the remaining senior staff along with the crew.
1. Chapter 1

This is my second attempt, but a more serious one at a TNG-based story. I had this idea a few weeks ago and finally decided to write it up. The timeline for this is right at the end of First Contact. Data never disabled the Enterprise self destruct sequence and the ship was destroyed. All the escape capsules met Riker, Troi, LaForge and everyone else who was already on Earth in a remote area miles away from the launch site. I do not own Star Trek or any of the characters mentioned.

- - -

"Good luck."

"To the both of us."

They were some of the last words he would ever speak aboard his ship before it was destroyed. He had to go back. Data just couldn't be sacrificed to the Borg for the sake of humanity. It just didn't seem right.

The Borg took everything from him, but he refused to willingly give up one of his officers without a fight.

"Welcome home, Locutus."

The touch she placed on his lips - it was so cold and inhuman. The familiarity it gave him chilled his blood to the point of freezing temperature. His mind, body, emotions and even instincts were screaming at him,

telling him to get away as quickly as possible. And then, he saw him. What had she done to him? 'Data, what has happened to you?' The thought radiated throughout his mind, littering Picard with emotions. She

would pay for everything she had done to not only him, but to his crew and all of Starfleet. The Borg would be destroyed, even if it meant his own life as well.

- - -

An explosion occurred in the evening sky. It was small, but just barely enough to catch Geordi's eye. Using the technology implanted in his eyes, Geordi attempted to analyze and discover exactly what that tiny burst of light so far away was.

"Commander!"

Commander William Riker stood just outside of the capsules which the Enterprise - E crew had just made a landing on Earth no more than a few minutes ago. They were all ordered to land within a mile radius of a center point as protocol dictated. Riker was holding a PADD which the Earth woman Lilly had given him, apparently from Captain Picard. He didn't even have to hear the words the Chief Engineer was going to speak, because he already knew.

"The Enterprise, sir. Its...gone."

Riker looked to Geordi, finding the same emotion in his facial expressions as he knew he had. It was common knowledge the self destruct sequence had been activated because staying on board to battle the Borg would have come to be a hand-to-hand endeavour, which in the end would have cost the lives of the entire crew, with the exception of those few who had been transported to Earth earlier. Turning to look toward the crew who were attempting to gather as quickly as they could for any word, or orders from their commanding officers, his hefty shoulders dropped. Even the leather jacket he had donned to appear as someone from the 21st century couldn't keep the chill from rising up his spine.

"Will. They need to know. Its only fair they should be told the truth. He was their Captain, too."

Deanna Troi. She was someone he knew he could always rely on for an honest, if not blunt opinion. Riker knew she discovered the truth just as soon as Geordi came to tell him the news. It was incredibly officer-like of her to think of the crew first.

"I know. Geordi, Deanna, start assembling the crew and take a count. Mr. Worf, please find Dr. Crusher and let her know I want to meet with senior staff before addressing the crew. I would like to gather everyone to...brief them."

'Emotions, Will. Don't let them grab you now. The Captain is dead, you're their commanding officer now. Pull it together and lead them like you were trained.' Will Riker's thoughts propelled the necessary actions forward required to do what needed to be done.

Within two hours, the eight hundred-or-so crew, family members and non-commissioned staffers were gathered together on a hill-side. Will, Deanna, Worf, Beverly and Geordi stood nearly ten meters above them, allowing them to hold the higher ground which required the attention of the Enterprise formers. As everyone seemed to calm down just slightly waiting for the briefing, Will turned away from the remaining senior staff, he moved down the hill a few meters and held his arms above his head to silence the chatter.

"As all of you know, the self destruct sequence on the Enterprise was activated. Just a few hours ago, that order was carried out and the Enterprise was destroyed, taking the Borg along with it."

He hesitated for a moment.

"...as well as Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Commander Data."

The crowd seemed to gasp in unity. How could that be? Not many other than the senior staff knew of Data's capture and Picard's heroic attempt to save him. Unfortunately, things didn't quite work out as the masses had hoped. There were some who broke into tears. The emotional trauma of the past few days was enough to cause such a thing for some, just as it caused others to become angry at the Borg, while others simply stood in silence completely shocked. Deanna could feel the collective burst of emotion, nearly crippling her until she was able to gain control over herself once more. She was going to have her hands full in the next few weeks, just as every other counselor would.

"They were both indeed excellent officers. The will of an android to perform every duty asked of him above and beyond the call of duty while attempting to embrace humanity even in its most flawed form spoke of his true abilities. He was my friend, as well as a friend to many of you. Data will be missed greatly."

Will inhaled the cold air into his lungs. It was one thing to speak about Data who he truly respected and had many experiences with, but to speak of his captain, the man he admired and followed for the last decade and a half. He could feel the burning sensation in his stomach and the stinging of tears coming to his eyes. He would show neither of the two because he had to be strong for everyone else. He would have his privacy soon enough to mourn his captain.

"For the greater part of two decades I had the pleasure to serve under Jean-Luc Picard, just as many of you have. As all of you know, he was a captain beyond what could be called great. His actions were true to his word and what he spoke held great dignity and integrity. It was truly my pleasure to serve with him. Keep him in your memories. He earned that at the very least."

Will turned and walked back toward the senior staff. They looked to him just as he had looked to Picard in the past. It was at that point he knew what he had to do. And so he began.

- - -

So, what do you think? Please review. I've been very inspired by my muse to write this story. I can't wait to keep going with it.

"I follow the words with my hand."

-Antigini


	2. Support

Chapter 2, finally! I know its taken me forever but I seem to have run into a busy time so hopefully now that things are calming down i'll be able to punch these chapters out much quicker. Hopefully i'll be able to let

the other senior staff "out of the bag" per say, in the near future to explore what they would do in this timeline. This story will heavily revolve around Riker and at times on Troi. I seem to know them better than the

others. Enjoy the story and don't forget to review!

---

It had been two weeks since the Enterprise had been destroyed and the crew left on Earth. The Vulcan ship had approached the planet, had their initial conversation with Cochran, which spawned wide popularity

for the man, but also seemed to change him away from the selfish, money hungry person he was in the past. The former crew of the Enterprise watched all of this from their hidden spot in the woods in northern Montana. The general mood around was gentle and quiet. People kept their feelings to themselves for the most part and continued on with their new duties, whatever they were. The senior staff did as best they could to encourage everyone that even though they weren't in their own time, or for some their own planet, life would continue on and was not hopeless. So far with the time they had to adjust to their new lives, solar panels had been assembled and mounted high up on the forest trees to power the replicators, computers and even the hand-held PADD systems which were in full use. The escape pods, which were the recipients of the solar energy were used for shelter while larger facilities were being constructed. All trees were left to remain in their original places as to not disturb the local area, giving away their position. Worf had decided and been approved to create a perimeter with sensors placed just slightly beneath the ground to alert them to any incoming presences. Luckily, there hadn't been a single visitor since their arrival.

"How is the crew responding to their new environment with security measures, Mr Worf?"

Worf looked from his area toward Riker. He had come to feel as if Will were their Captain as he was the presumed first in command.

"The crew is adjusting as well as we could have hoped. There are a few who have tested the barriers but were dealt with swiftly."

"What about psychologically and physically? Are they able to handle the environment without having to strain our medical supplies?"

Beverly ran a hand through her hair as she looked up from her info-padd.

"At the current level of supplies, what cannot be replicated will last another three to four months depending on what happens from now until then. The humanoids are adjusting quickly enough, although i'm a little worried about the others. The Enterprise never carried a large amount of non-humanoids so there aren't too many people suffering."

"Good Beverly. If there is anything you can do to help the non-humanoids do it. I don't want these people to suffer more than they already have. They've lost a Captain, a Commander, their families, their lives..."

Will felt a gentle mental nudge from across the table at which he and the senior staff sat. It was from her. She had seen him begin to stumble just slightly and quickly knocked him out of his trance and back to business.

"Uh...Deanna. Have you managed to meet with all of the crew yet?"

She looked to him with her dark eyes to his blue. She could feel his presence much stronger than the others around her. Of course, it had always been that way. What she wasn't accustomed to feeling was Will

feeling alone at first. She could understand that without Picard, Will would feel slightly abandoned and alone. It was always meant to be Will taking a promotion for his own command, not Picard dying on him.

"The other counselors and I have managed to meet with everyone, even if only briefly. There are some who will require further counseling to deal with what they are feeling, but the majority of the population is feeling

like they want to prove this is something they can handle. It is a testament to how loyal they were to Captain Picard...and to you, Will. They want to make you proud."

Will beamed for a moment. He always knew the crew of the Enterprise was special, but he now felt exactly how dedicated they were.

"Good. For now, i'd like all department heads to have a report ready for me to review by mid-day tomorrow on their individual progress. Adjourned."

Will took a moment to slouch in his seat as the others had exited the room. He rubbed his eyes with his hands and sighed deeply.

"You really should get some sleep, Will."

Deanna wasn't in her seat, but now standing beside him. She crouched down to be just slightly under his level.

"It isn't a good idea for the commanding officer to be running on coffee and periodic bursts of adrenaline alone. You need to get some rest, if not for the sake of your own sanity, then mine. If you keep going as you

are now, i'm going to eventually go mad. Your thoughts are incredibly overpowering."

"You have the ability to shield yourself from emotions and thoughts, Deanna. Perhaps now would be a good time to use that ability."

His tone was a bit edgy. Deanna didn't take it the wrong way. He hadn't slept in a few days and when he would sleep, it was only for a few hours at a time. He was stressed out and she could feel every bit of it.

She couldn't blame him for it, either. Picard had been around for everything, with the exception of a few times which also included the Borg years ago. For a moment or two, Deanna could have sworn Will became

somewhat nervous every time the captain went missing, although only for a split second before his Starfleet training took over and snapped him into control of the situation.

"Perhaps I could get you a bottle of that tequila drink I had. As I recall it worked great on getting me to sleep."

Will couldn't help but chuckle at the not-too-distant memory. Even though they were in the middle of a mission, and it was the worst time possible for it to happen, Deanna's drunken state did allow for some amusement.

"Alright. I'll take some time tonight to get some rest. I could always use a good back massage anyway...say, you know where I could get one of those?"

He gave her that boyish grin he was so well known for giving. Deanna simply returned the smile as she stood to her feet, stretching them out a bit.

"Perhaps Beverly could give you a muscle relaxant to help you out."

She turned to leave, but stopped last minute.

"Oh, and one more thing Will. You might want to appoint someone as your second in command. It would make things run a little smoother if we could all finally start running on seperate shifts again, not the 'you take the next twelve hours' approach. I'm sure everyone would love you that much more for it."

Will Riker chuckled gently to himself and he nodded. She was right though. He was eventually going to be forced to choose a second in command. It wasn't that he was so much afraid of it all, simply more of it

coming into full realization that Captain Picard and Data were dead. It would make things that much more official. Duty was duty, though. Things just seemed very strange seeing as how Will never had to second

guess himself, his commander or even his duty. He needed closure, just as everyone else did.

---

A few days later the crew gathered along the same hill which they first came upon to be briefed on their situation. As they had before, senior staff stood slightly above Riker on the hell, facing his back as he faced the crew. He was hesitant about the next part, although it had to be done. Will raised his right hand into the air, signaling everyone's attention.

"As most of you probably know by now, the senior staff and I have been reviewing the necessary steps to implement a three-shift timeline into place. For now, the current roster is only temparary to allow for any

discrepencies. Those of you who are naturally nocturnal, sensitive to the sunlight or anything of the sort will be allowed to trade shifts with others who willingly accept the offer. The shifts will rotate once every two months. Department heads will trade off with senior staff. Those shifts will rotate once every four months. From this point on, Commander Worf will be second in command, followed by Commander Troi. Dr. Crusher retains all rank and authority as it was in the past. If you have any questions direct them toward your department heads and they will confer with senior staff as necessary."

Will looked around. He inhaled the morning air, fresh as it was. They were relying on him and he could feel every heart beat out there. In the end, he knew every choice he made was thoroughly considered, such as Worf being his second in command. Even though they were all Starfleet officers, Will did have the option of changing the line-up around as he thought necessary. Considering the environment, his past and current abilities, Will decided Worf would make the best candidate. He had grown away from immediately suggesting a gun-ho path whenever a problem arose. In his years since carrying the rank of Commander, his abilities as an officer grew farther than most had expected of the Klingon. Deanna had always had the ability to lead, he had no doubt. Her only problem was the bridge officer test she had failed over and over again back on the Enterprise-D. Of course Geordi never cared for bridge officer duties. He belonged in Engineering and knew that every day he woke up and put on his golden uniform. Engineers had always been the backbone of the operation, the spinal cord which allowed the bridge crew, or the brain, function. No matter what happened to him, Geordi would always care to be fixing something, or making something more efficient. He would only take bridge crew operations if he absolutely had to. As for Beverly, in the past she had exercised her abilities over Picard which was rare, although required when done. There was no need to take her out of her busy medical area to busy her with overall operation. In the end, it seemed as if the choice was easy, although Will took his time to mull it over a cup of black coffee in his "quarters", which was a decently-sized tent.

"For those of you considering venturing outside of the perimeter, don't. Security teams are scouting the area for safety and passages which would be best to the nearest gathering of Terrans. I ask you to be patient

with us. We will all be allowed to leave the area as soon as we can assure the Prime Directive is not harmed. Believe me when I say I cannot wait either."

The crowd chuckled slightly as a few hollered a cheered, a testament to how eager some were to explore.

"Non-humanoid crew members will be somewhat limited, for obvious reasons. Our plan is to develop a cover story which can be used so that in time you will be able to enjoy the outside world along with your crewmates. Until then, keep up the good work. Find your department heads for your new schedule. If you wish to trade off with someone, please do so now or within the next few days as to eliminate any confusion. Contact either Commander Troi or your direct superior so that they can make note and official changes. I look forward to the growth we will be making in due time. Until then, let's get started! Dismissed."

The senior staff moved toward their respective areas as Will left to his tent for a moment to relax. It was strange for him to refer to her as Commander. She knew exactly why he did it, but it felt strange and sounded strange, too. She never did hear or use the title of Commander often. Will's need to stress all business, no excuses was a good enough reason, she felt, to allow the use of her formal rank title to be used as often

as it had been lately. Afterall, she hadn't done much counseling in the past weeks. The counseling team was strong and could handle the case-loads which allowed Deanna to move around freely and take care of other pressing issues requiring a senior staff member. As all of this drifted through her mind, Deanna managed to quietly make her way toward Will's tent. She took one of the flaps into her hand for a moment, signaling her arrival as she spoke before pulling the flap back...

"Will, can I come in?"

She didn't even need him to respond to her. Pulling back the flap, Deanna walked into the tent, allowing the material to close behind her as only a sliver of sunlight was allowed into the tent through the gentle gaps of the entrance.

"Apparently you didn't see the shift schedule. You'd see my shift has just ended and the next sixteen hours are for personal time unless something so pressing absolutely requires my eyes-only attention."

He was grumpy, but he still hadn't taken her advice on sleeping...at least until now. That made her smile just enough for him to catch it.

"And once you've woken up hopefully you'll stop picking at me for things I can't control you grouch. I just came to tell you I think the progess you've made recently is remarkable. The crew still holds high spirits

and their loyalty has never been stronger. There are of course a few "bad apples" as you would call them, but that is to be expected in every group. Also..." She hesitated for a moment. "...when you're ready to talk,

you know exactly how to find me."

Deanna watched the man for a moment, his eyes closed and arms pulled under his head and he rested on his cot. He heard her and she could feel him responding already, but before he could open his eyes and part

his lips to speak, she had already left.

'I love you too, Imzadi.'

---

Finally! I'm eager to know what you guys think about this chapter. Flame or praise away! Hopefully the ladder. D

"I follow the words with my hand."

-Antigini


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